Monday, 7 August 2017

Paraiba tourmaline - World's most desirable Gemstone

Rarer than diamonds and far more expensive than gold, Paraiba tourmaline has become one of the world's most precious gemstones for its extraordinary neon hues.

First discovered in the hills of the northeastern Brazilian state of Paraiba in the 1980s, the stone has captivated connoisseurs and jewellers with its copper-infused incandescence.

The vivid glow that distinguishes the Paraiba tourmaline, also known as cuprian elbaite is unique. A product of the trace element copper, colours range from startling turquoise to majestic blue-green, but it is the incandescent glow that appears to light up the stone from within that makes Paraiba tourmalines incomparable to any other gem.

In 2003 Paraiba tourmalines were discovered in Mozambique and Nigeria. Paraiba-like in every way, with only minute chemical differences to those unearthed in Brazil, they are often found weighing five carats or more.

As the mines in Brazil have been depleted, supply is dwindling. The Brazilian mines are almost completely exhausted and any new finds tend to be small stones. In Africa, supply is still plentiful and there is a steady flow of large Paraiba tourmalines.